White Noise

Photo by Alex Stoddard

* Note from Mikayla: Everyone, I'm beyond excited to announce the addition of a new writer here at LOOSE L!PS. Meet Russ. He should be popping in from time to time (hopefully regularly) to tackle the indie rock side of things. There are two things about Russ that you should know. First, he is a dude. Second, he doesn't really listen to electronica. So while we are similar enough to be friends in real life, our take on music is bound to be distinctly different. This bi-gendered, bi-genred dynamic should hopefully serve to help bring you a more balanced, multi-faceted, and awesome LOOSE L!PS. Here's to new beginnings. xo


There are a lot of bands out that I feel have overstayed their welcome. Ten years ago they may have put out an awesome record or two, changed the way people felt about music, or even redefined a genre. Then there’s the sound change, the new direction or the inability to live up to all that early success. I’ve learned to take caution when I see a release from one of these bands – disappointment is something I’ve grown accustomed to as of late. Surprisingly enough, one of these bands that I was sure jumped ship in 2008 may have discovered what made their 1997 release Young Team so damn good.

Glasgow’s Mogwai has teamed up with original producer Paul Savage for the awesomely-titled Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will, which will be released in the U.S. next month on Sub Pop. I cannot stop listening to the record as a whole, but more so it’s the album’s opener White Noise that I can’t get enough of. There’s something about the song that makes me want to just drive around endlessly and aimlessly. The multi guitar-layering, classic Mogwai wall-of-sound feel is totally there, but there’s also a more confident, mature sound that makes it more refreshing than the slew of mediocre of albums (except 2006's Mr. Beast, that one was good!).

In the post-rock, heavily instrumental genre comprised of bands like Mono, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, and Explosions in the Sky, I find myself either easily bored by 16-minute tracks or bogged down in too much noise, too many layers, and a lack of any real hook. White Noise is a fairly simple, melodic song that manages to deliver that gratifying, chill-inducing buildup without feeling too long or overly experimental. It's a song that packs enough atmosphere to hook some new fans as well as appease those who aren't quite ready to give up on the noisy Scots.

White Noise--Mogwai